Moving platform or inclined plane.



No. 802,847. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. J. M. DODGE.

MOVING PLATFORM OR INCLINED PLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 22.1898. RENEWED NOV. 21,1901

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 802,847. PATENTED 001?. 24, 1905.

J. M. DODGE.

MOVING PLATFORM 0R INGLINED PLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22,1898. RENEWED NOV. 21,1901.

2 sums-SHEET 2.

irnn

PATENT OFFIOE.

JAMES M. DODGE, OF PH IIYADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STAIRLIFT COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND CAM- DEN, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF N EVV JERSEY.

MOVING PLATFORIVI OR INCLINED PLANE.

No. soasav.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application fil d January 22,1898. Renewed November 21,1901. serial No.83,186.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. Donen, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Moving Platforms or Inclined Planes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in moving platforms or inclinedplanes having Iv either a flat surface or steps, the main object of myinvention being to so construct such moving platform or inclined planewhen the same is composed of sections that it will be safe and convenient, there being no dangerous or otherwise objectionable gaps orspaces between the sections.

A further object of the invention is to drive the sections of theplatform more effectively than usual and to distribute the load.

These objects I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is alongitudinal sectional view of a traveling inclined plane illustratingmy invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a viewshowing my invention used in connection with a moving stairway.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, which represent an upwardly-movinginclined plane, A represents a lower floor or fixed platform, B an upperfloor or platform, and D the traveling inclined plane, made up of aseries of sections d, adapted to ways E at each side. These sections arepreferably disconnected and are pushed forward byadriving-wheel F at thebottom of the inclined plane, the teeth of said wheel engaging with theinner sides of the sections 66. In the structure shown in Fig. 1 I havealso located another driving- 4 wheel F at the point where the sectionsare deflected upwardly from the platform B to form the abutment G, andin long runs more of these driving-wheels may be used, if necessary. Thesections are adapted to suitable guides at the upper end, which connectwith the return-guides, and the several drivingwheels are so operatedthat they will turn in unison, the purpose of the additional driver ordrivers being to relieve the primary driver, 5 especially at or near thepoints where the platform changes direction, so that the apparatus willwork evenly and without loss of power.

In some instances there may be an abutment at both ends of the inclinedplane, so that the direction of travel of the sections can be reversed.

It will be understood that a series of drivers may be used in connectionwith a moving stairway and also that in carrying out my invention I mayeither use separate step-sections pushed or otherwise moved or enchainedsections pulled or pushed. In Fig. 3, for instance, 1 have shown amovable stairway having step-sections which are driven at threepointsthat is to say, by a wheel F at the lower end of the structure, bya wheel F just after the sections turn to form the abutment, and by awheel F just after said sections commence to rise to form the stairway,these being the points at which the greatest strains are developed.

My invention can be'applied to such an apparatus as set forth in thepatent granted to G. A. Wheeler, No. 479,864, dated August 2, 1892, inwhich the step-sections are enchained.

I do not in this application claim specifically the form of my inventionwherein the driving sprocket wheel or wheels engage enchained sections,for this forms the subject of my divisional application, filed October11, v

1905, Serial No. 282,241.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in a moving stairway orinclined plane, of guides, sections arranged to travel on said guides,the main driving device at one end of the mechanism, an auxiliarydriving device between the two ends of the stairway or inclined planeand engaging the moving portion thereof at a point where it changesdirection of movement, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a moving stairway or platform, of movingsections, guides whereby the sections are directed so as to form anabutment, and a driving device engaging the moving portion of the saidplatform or stairway at a point where the turn is made to form anabutment, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in amoving stairway or platform, of a movingportion, guides therefor, and a driving device engaging said movingportion on the carrying-run and also on the return run, intermediate theends thereof, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, in a moving platform or stairway, of a movingportion, guides therefor, a driving device engaging the carryingrun ofthe said moving portion at a point be tween the two ends of thestructure and at a point where the said carrying-run changes directionof movement, said driving device also engaging the return run of themoving portion, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a portion moving throughout its course in a singlevertical plane and made up of a series of sections, of fixed guidessupporting said movable portion at both sides, and driving mechanismengaging the carrying-run of the said moving portion at a point betweenthe two ends of the course and where it changes direction of movement,said driving mechanism also engaging the return run, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a movingportion, guides therefor, a sprocket-wheel engaging the said movingportion on its carrying-run at a point between the two ends of thecourse and where it changes direction of movement, said sprocket-wheelalso engaging the said moving portion on its return run, substantiallyas described.

7. The combination, in a moving platform or stairway, of a movingportion made up of a series of sections, a driving sprocket-wheel at oneend of the mechanism, and an auxiliary driving sprocket wheel engagingthe said moving portion between the two ends of the platform or stairwayand at or near a point where the moving portion changes direction ofmovement, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a moving platform or stairway, of sections,guides therefor, a main driving device at one end of the mechanism. andan auxiliary driving device engaging with the said sections between thetwo ends of the platform or stairway and at or near a point where thesections change direction of movement, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in 'a moving platform or stairway, ofmovingsections, guides whereby the sections are directed so as to forman abutment, means for moving the said sections forward and a drivingdevice engaging the sectionsas they turn to form the abutment,

substantially as described.

10. The combination, in a moving platform or stairway, of movingsections, guides therefor, and a driving device engaging the sectionsbetween the two ends of the platform or stairway and at a point wherethey change directions of movement, said driving device also engaging.the sections on the return run, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination with the seriesof connected steps, of ways in which said steps travel, and a drivingmechanism intermediate the ends thereof engaging with both the ascendingand descending parts of said series, substantially as described.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with the movingsections of guides for said sections stationary relative to the movementthereof supporting said sections at both ends throughout their entirecourse, and driving mechanism engaging the sections between the two endsof the course and at a point where they change direction of movement,said driving device also engaging the sections on the return run,substantially as described.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesections moving throughout their course in a single vertical plane, ofguides for said sections stationary relative to the movement thereof andsupporting them at both ends throughouttheir course, and drivingmechanism engaging the sections between the two ends of the course andat a point where they change direction of movement, said drivingmechanism also engaging the sections on the return run, substantially asdescribed.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with thesections moving throughout their course in a single vertical plane, ofguides for said sections stationary relative to the movement thereof andsupporting them at both ends throughout their entire course, and drivingmechanism engaging the section between the two ends of the course and ata point where they change direction of movement, said driving mechanismconsisting of sprocket-wheel engaging said steps on both the forward runand return run, substanto this specification in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES M. DODGE.

Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, Jos. H. KLEIN.

